A GIS Analysis of Surface Disturbance and Invasive Species Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations in the Marcellus Shale Ashley Hayes MGIS Program advisor: Patrick Drohan, ESM Penn State University GEOG 596A, Fall 2012 A GIS Analysis of Surface Disturbance and Invasive Species Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations in the Marcellus Shale Ashley Hayes MGIS Program advisor: Patrick Drohan, ESM Penn State University GEOG 596A, Fall 2012 Important and abundant domestic source of energy but how to minimize the impact of this resource extraction on the environment? Landscape Disturbance Well pads, ponds, staging areas, roads, etc. ~12 ha/pad Wells Drilled Since 2007 Forest Fragmentation & Edge Effects Light Wind Invasive Species Disturbance Scarlet Tanager Hypothesis: Hydraulic fracturing well pad locations that are near a previously disturbed landscape may be more likely to currently contain invasive species now, and be more susceptible to future invasions Importance: Understanding spatial patterns associated with species invasion may lead to the development of more effective predictive detection models and facilitate management planning and responses Study Sites Supervised Classification 2005 NAIP to classify disturbances prior to shale-gas drilling ArcGIS Bing Maps Aerial base map to classify current disturbances Disturbances categories: shale-gas well pads, roads, conventional gas wells, water storage ponds, staging areas, barren ground, utility corridors, residential, and regrowth Disturbances Unclassified Disturbances Classified ArcGIS Near tool: Distance to nearest non-road disturbances Distance to paved and unpaved roads Distance to Disturbances Configuration of Disturbances FRAGSTATS: Contagion Index ArcGIS Landscape Fragmentation Tool Core: > 100m from non-forest disturbances Edge: < 100m from non-forest disturbances and adjacent to core forest Patch: